


Becoming Caleb

by guilt_is_for_mortals



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: All The Ships, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Caleb Widogast Deserves Nice Things, Caleb Widogast Needs a Hug, F/F, F/M, Families of Choice, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Multi, Polynein (Critical Role), Running Away, Slow Burn, everyone deserves a happy ending, everyone is poly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2019-10-19 12:01:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17600978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guilt_is_for_mortals/pseuds/guilt_is_for_mortals
Summary: Life is good at Caduceus’ Teashop of Curiosities.After running away from his past live, Caleb learns to accept himself and his new life with the help of Jester, Caduceus & Co.---





	1. Proloque - a new home

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there and welcome to my first Critical Role Fanfic!  
> I have not written anything in a very long time and English is not my native language,  
> so I apologize for any mistakes I made!
> 
> I really hope you enjoy it, feel free to tell me your suggestions/critics in the comments!  
> 

Prologue: A new home

Running away is easy when you’ve got nothing holding you back and nothing worth staying for. Bren had less than that, he had decided to not even keep his name. So he had spent all of the money he had saved for years for fake papers and a train ticket away to Zadash. In the dead of night he stuffed a few things into his backpack, took the brown, long coat he had bought for a few bucks at a second hand store, and climbed out the window. He ran, all the way to the station. It felt so strange, knowing that this was the moment he left everything behind, even his old self. He would start new, a new life, a new name. Caleb Widogast. That was who he would be. 

\---

It had been about three weeks after he ran away when he met Nott. The nights were cold and he had nowhere to go. Nobody would give a job to someone who didn’t even have a home. So he stole from dumpsters, slept on the softest spots of ground he could find, never really at rest, always watching, always hiding.  
After all, he thought, it was not so bad. He was not in Rexxentrum anymore and when nobody here knew him, when he was invisible in the streets, then they would not find him.

\---

That one night, he had tried stealing from the wrong dumpster. The owner of the shop had installed a security system and he was to weak, not having eaten in days, to run away from the police fast enough. The police woman seemed nice though. She saw how thin and dirty he was, sighing as she had to cuff him up and lead him to the car.  
“You know… I have to keep you in for one night, but I think… it just was a false alarm, am I right?” She looked at him through the front mirror. He frowned. She was offering him a night in a warm, save cell and she would lie for him, fake her paperwork?  
“My brother… got on the wrong tracks, too. He told me a lot about it, since he is back…” Caleb just nodded, understanding.  
When she closed the door of the arrest cell behind him, he murmured a thanks, not sure if it was loud enough for her to hear it. 

\---

The door opened again halfway into the night and an angry woman was pushed into the cell, screaming at the police officer.  
“I did not steal anything, and you know that! You just…!”  
“You can leave tomorrow, when you’re sober!”  
The officer simply left with these words and silence fell over both of them as they eyed each other. She was small, tiny even, dressed in clothes just as dirty as his. It was impossible to make out her age, as her face was… he held his breath for a moment when he realized.  
Terrible scars covered her face, also her hands, which he could now see as she buried her face in them.  
“Fuck!” 

\---

Time went by, was it just a minute, was it an hour, he didn’t know.  
“Who… who are you?” He looked up at her face, confused.  
He had been so sunk in his own mind that he had not noticed she had went up to him, standing right before him. Her eyes were a strange, yellowish green, but maybe that was just the dim light and his exhaustion playing tricks with his mind.  
“Ich bin… I am… Caleb Widogast.”  
It was the first time he said this name, his new name, out loud. It was on his papers, of course, he had picked it for himself, but he had not used it, had not thought about himself as Caleb at all. Until now.  
Now he had given it to this woman in front of him. To her, he would always be Caleb, if she would remember meeting him at all.  
“I’m Nott… you’re strange,” she said. “What did you do to get in here?”  
A moment of silence.  
“Slept under the wrong bridge,” he murmured then. Silence again, and the woman, Nott, sat down next to him, nodding a bit  
“They accused me of stealing. I didn’t… it was not really stealing, you know.” 

\---

In the morning, the police woman who arrested Caleb yesterday let them out of the cell. Head tucked in, he went straight out, wanting to disappear again, but he had not even reached the first street corner, when he heard “Caleb, wait,” in Notts high, raspy voice as she ran up to him.  
“You said you sleep under a bridge?” She now looked straight up into his eyes, but he avoided her gaze, almost out of habit. He nodded slightly.  
“You could… I could use a roommate,” she then stated. “I struggle to make rent and there is an empty room... “  
Now he stared at her, unbelievingly.  
“You… want me to… move in with you?” She turned a bit red on her cheeks and nodded.  
“Yes, yes I... “  
“You know that I could be… a thief… or a murderer?” As he spoke the word, his stomach cramped and he did best he could to fight back the memories. Not now!  
“There isn’t much there you could steal, anyways.” She just shrugged and from the look she gave him he realised that she maybe wouldn’t even mind so much if he was a murderer. She was just as desperate as he was.  
And so he followed her to this tiny apartment on the second floor of a house that might had been pretty 100 years ago. She was right - there wasn’t anything worth stealing in there, but it had a bathroom, a bed, and it did not rain through the ceiling. For Caleb it should become his new home.

\---

It took a while for them to trust each other. Both finding and losing jobs, never being able to stay anywhere long enough to actually make a living. They both were bad with people, but somehow that made the two of them work. A few weeks after moving in, Caleb even adopted a tiny cat he had found outside their house. She was just like him, small, way to thin, hungry and lost in this world. Nott told him that she would eat Frumpkin, if he spent to much money on feeding the little cat, but she couldn’t help but smile when the cat hopped onto her lap, purring.  
“...but I think, for now we can keep it.”


	2. Caduceus’ Teashop of Curiosities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly fluff - enjoy :)

Caleb had found the Teashop while wandering through the streets of Zadash after yet another job interview. They had turned him down, of course, and he did not want to go home yet and tell Nott about it. She would understand, and she would not be angry with him, but he hated to disappoint her, hated to know that he had not only failed himself, but also her. 

The sign had caught his attention, it was pretty, hand painted it seemed. ’Caduceus’ Teashop of Curiosities’ it read in golden letters, ranked by flowers and herbs and a few tea cups, books and… a skull. He stared at it for quite a while, making out all the small details. Someone had put time and a great deal of talent into this. He then glanced in through the big windows into the shop.

There was a counter that showed pastries and cakes, behind it a wall with cups, every single one a different design. Small couches, tables and chairs stood there, welcoming any guest to sit down, candles spreading warm light. Plants filled the empty spaces, plants and books. Not just in big shelves, but on the coffee tables, on the edge of the counter, books everywhere.

Before he even knew he had opened the shops door and stepped into the warmth, the wonderful smell of tea, herbs and old books streamed into his nose. A little bell rang when the door opened and from a room behind the counter a young woman came into the room, almost tripping, a tablet loaded with pastries in her hands.  
“Ohhh, sorry, I’ll be right there, sorry…” She chimed, her voice sounded a bit foreign just like his, but warm and soft. When she placed the tablet on the counter, he could actually look at her without her noticing. 

She was very pretty. Big, blue eyes, the dark hair also shimmering in a blue tone. She had paint all over her face, where it mixed with her freckles and her dungarees and bright yellow shirt also were stained with paint.  
A little to late he realised that he must have stared at her, because when his eyes went back up to meet hers, she grinned at him widely and somewhat amused.  
“Hi, I am Jester, how can I help you?” she asked with the sweetest smile. Caleb just stared at her for a moment, and another moment.  
Then he turned around and ran.

\---  


It took him a week to go back there. He had not even told Nott about it, this embarrassing moment should never be talked about, he thought to himself. And he would not need to see the girl ever again, so who cared?  
But she and the Teashop did not really leave his mind, so now he stood there again, staring at the sign and wondering if he really should go in or not.  
It must have been five minutes of silent contemplating with himself, as the door opened and a familiar, paint-stained face turned to look at him.  
“You know, you can just come in here and take a look around if you want,” she said softly. “You do not have to buy anything.” 

She took a step back, but held the door open and he just followed her in slowly.  
“I’m really sorry, but I think I overwhelmed you last time you were here?” He nodded slowly, letting her chatter on, glad she did not seem to mind him not speaking.  
“Well, then, welcome again to the Teashop. Caduceus, the owner, will be here soon, but for now, it’s just me, you know.” She beamed at him. The shop was completely empty.  
“At this time in the afternoon it is sooo boring in here, most of the university students are here in the morning and then in the evening, so you picked a good time to show up, because I have time to show you around!” 

Jester then continued to show him everything.  
“Well, you can just come here and have tea and pastries, you know, but we also have all of this second hand books here, and you can buy them or you can just come here and read them if you would like…” There was a room he had not seen from outside, where a few armchairs stood between bookshelves, loaded with books.  
Caleb could feel himself relaxing just a little bit. The smell of books and tea, Jesters happy chattering, the warmth inside the shop.  
“This… this is a very beautiful place,” he murmured, and Jester, who had just poured Caleb a cup of tea, reached it to him with the biggest smile.  
“Oh, yes it is, I am so glad you like it! Does this mean you will come by more often?” She looked up at him, almost hopefully, like she actually wanted him to.  
“Maybe.” He tasted the tea, it was wonderful, sweet and warm. A bit like Jester herself.  
“That is great! You have to come in the evening then, so you can meet Beau, she is my roommate, you know, and she is really great and I am sure you would like her…” She stopped, looking concerned at Caleb, who had stiffened up just at the thought of this room being filled with even more people he didn’t know.  
“Or you can just come by in the afternoon like you did today.” He nodded a bit.  
“I have to go now, Jester, thank you… for the tea.”  
“You are very welcome.” As he stepped towards the door, she called after him and he stopped, hand already on the doorknob.  
“What is your name, then?”  
He paused for a moment, looking at her pretty face smiling up to him.  
“Caleb.”  
The door closed and he returned home to Nott with the strangest feeling in him. He remembered telling Nott his new name, how foreign and strange it had felt. Today, it felt good. Jester would know him as Caleb, and he was determined to be… to be Caleb. To be this new person. Nobody here knew the old him. He would try to be a good person, he really would.


	3. Books and Baking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and a big thanks to all of you leaving kudos and comments! <3
> 
> Here is the next Chapter of this story, I hope you will enjoy!
> 
> I am sorry that it's not that long, I have to study for three exams next week - after that, chapters will hopefully be longer! :)

He came by the teashop almost every single day. Mostly in the early afternoon, when Jester had told him that the shop was mostly empty and she would be lonely and bored anyways. They did not always talk - Jester never actually being quiet, when she did not talk, she hummed or sang to the songs on the radio. But it was nice. He and Nott could barely afford rent and food, so this was his only chance to get a book to read. 

“Is this an interesting book then..?” He jumped a little, he had been so completely sunk into this book, sitting in his favourite reading chair, that he had not realized Jester had snuck up on him and stood right before him. She had a habit of doing that, he realized, looking up at her with a tired smile.   
“Oh, to me it is very interesting, it is a book about books so to say, about literature.”   
“Why don’t you read me something from it?” Jester asked, making big puppy eyes. Caleb sighed.   
“This is not a book to be read out loud, Jester,” he murmured, marked his page and closed it in his lap. Before she could protest, he stood up, walking over to the shelves and took a moment to decide on a right one.  
“But… if you really want to, this one could be one to be read out loud.” A bit unsure he turned back around to her, holding the used paperback in his hands. “I just… I am not sure, how good of an narrator I am.” 

Her beaming smile told him that she wouldn’t care and seeing her this happy made him feel a bit warm inside. “Fantastic! I’ll make us some tea and then you can read and I can make a batch of cookies while we do that!” She walked out of the library room into the still empty café and behind the counter, waving him to follow her.   
He had not been in the kitchen so far - it was tiny, just enough to make the cookies, pastries and cakes they offered along with the tea. He found himself a corner to sit in and started to read while Jester took flour, sugar and milk and made cookie dough.

“Here -” A spoon full of dough was floating in front of him, behind it Jesters face, full of flour. He started laughing a bit and, after a moment of hesitation, took the spoon in front of him into his mouth, before Jester could stab him into his eye with it.   
“ ‘ts tas’y…” he munched with his mouth full, now causing Jester to laugh. “Howw…” he took the spoon out of his mouth, “how did you manage to have more flour on you then there is in the cookies?”  
“Oh, it’s just like when I am painting, you know, I have a little bit to much fun with it and then things can get a bit… messy.” She looked down at herself, skirt and sweater splattered with colors. Caleb tried to remember if he had ever seen her in clothes without color stains. 

\---

“Oh, we do have a guest?” A slow voice, one that Caleb did not know, sounded into the kitchen from the counter, and both of them looked to the door and the man entering.   
He was huge, so big in fact that he had to duck to not hit his head on the door. His hair was long, in a mohawk, and dyed candy pink. A soft smile on his lips, he hugged Jester who had run up to him.  
“Caduceus, is it so late already? I just finished the cookies, and Caleb here read me a book, so it is not so boring alone here, you know…”   
“Oh, that’s nice,” Caduceus answered in a slow, almost zen voice and turned his head over to Caleb. “I am Caduceus Clay, it is a pleasure to meet you, Caleb.” 

So this was the owner of this teashop, Caduceus, who Jester had told him a lot about already. He had not quite expected him to look like… this, but on the other hand, he also did not know what he had expected him to look like.   
“Caleb Widogast,” he introduced himself, “nice to meet you.” Silence filled the room for a moment, then the oven started to beep and Jester hurried over to get the cookies out before they would burn.   
Caleb silently took the book and returned to the room with the books, putting it back where it belonged on the shelf. 

“You’ve got your way with books.” Caduceus had followed him. Was everyone in this place freakily stealthy, or was Caleb just so absorbed in his thoughts that people always managed to sneak up on him?   
He looked up at Caduceus, then back to the books, absentmindedly stroking one of the broken paperbacks.   
“Since I can remember I always loved to read. It makes me… happy, one might say.” Happiness… for years, the only moments when he could feel happy would be with his nose buried in a book, disappearing to some other place.   
“How would you like a job with the books then? I think they really like you, too.” Coming from any other person than Caduceus this sentence would have sounded like madness. But somehow, with Cads slow and gentle voice… it sounded almost like a real possibility.  
“I’ve been looking for a job for weeks now…” Caleb sighed. “I would take anything I could get.”

“Oh, I think you did not quite understand… I ment would you like a job here? Been looking for someone to organize all… this.” He waved his hand around the room, all the books put into the shelves where they fit, no system whatsoever.   
Caleb was not sure if he should believe his ears.  
“You want me to… you want to give me a job to organize your library?”   
“Yes, exactly” Caduceus smiled a dopey smile. “Jester mentioned you once or twice, she seems to like you, which is always a good sign. And as you seem to be looking for a job anyways…?”  
“Yes, alright, of course!” He did not need to think about it longer. It was a job, and he had been desperate enough to think about just selling his body by know, as if anybody would have wanted this. He was offered a job, at a place he actually liked and with books.   
“That’s nice.”


	4. ..and they were roommates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am truly very, very sorry.   
> The new job and everything really got my time and motivation the last few weeks.
> 
> Now here finally is the next chapter for you guys.  
> I apologize in advance for mistakes, as my usual beta reader has no time at the moment.
> 
> I also apologize for... Fjord, I guess?  
> I have never written anything with him yet and I found it quite hard to get him right...  
> well, you will see....
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter anyways ;)

“And then Caleb rearranged all the books in the store, you know, so that it’ makes sense now, and Caduceus was really pleased with him and…”  
“Jes, please, is there any other topic than that new guy?!” Jester stopped, looking surprised, staring at Beau, completely frozen in her motion of trying to lie on the couch with her feet up and the head down.   
“Wha… don’t you like Caleb?” she asked, looking at Beau with those huge blue puppy eyes and she cursed inside.   
“No do not not like him, I haven’t even met him,” Beau replied, still grumpy. “But it seems like you don’t have anything else to talk about then this guy.”

Beau and Jester lived together for almost three years now, they met, as many students do, in dire need of someone to share an apartment because they could not afford to live alone. Beau was more hesitant with sharing a living space with… anyone, yet alone a hyperactive art student, but she found herself strangely infatuated with her smile, the big eyes and her absolute positive outlook on the world. So Beau packed her few things - Jester once asked her if she owned any other clothing then sports bras and leggins - and moved into the shabby apartment with Jester. The walls came down in some rooms, the bathroom was ancient and you had to mix your water heat yourself… even Beau took ages in the bathroom that way, and she normally was done in about five minutes. 

But three years later they had assembled a rather nice collection of furniture, the hideous yellow couch, the plastic plants, the table that almost stood straight if you put some coasters under one of the legs. Jester painted sunflowers on the walls, matching the yellow couch and sometimes Beau remembered to bring her some real sunflowers. They were her favourite flower and her eyes lit up everytime she got some. Most of the time it had just been the two of them. Chatting, watching something on netflix while Jester painted and Beau did some crunches or hit the old punching bag they hanged from the ceiling. Beau found herself imagining that it could always be like that, even after they graduated, maybe… sometimes she thought there could be more. Other times she was not sure. Jester was a free bird, and Beau… well, she did not want to weigh her down. It was good the way it was, wasn’t it?

And now… now all Jes was talking about was this new guy. At first Beau thought it was really cool of Caduceus to give that poor man a chance, but now everytime her best friend mentioned him, it gave her a strange, twisty feeling in the stomach.  
“Earth to Beau… hello?” She blinked a few times, only to see Jester inches away from her face, waving and grinning. “Where the hell have you been now with your thoughts?” It took Beau quite a bit, but she forced herself to snap out of it. Then she put a grin on her face, hoping it would not look to fake, and tipped Jester on the nose, whose face was still so close… to damn close. Beau let herself drop onto the couch.   
“I was thinking about what we could watch while you have to get your assignment ready? Didn’t you want to use your free day for that? I even bought microwave popcorn.”  
Jesters quite serious expression switched to that beautiful grin.  
“Yeah, you are right! I haven’t even had anything sweet today, you know?”  
“Why do you have the Teashop closed anyways? It is Tuesday.”  
“Oh, Caduceus has told some friends of his that they could have it, they want to do a…”

\---

“...a pop up spiritual journey yoga session…” Caleb murmured to himself, shaking his head a bit. He truly did not understand everything his new boss did, but he also did not mind having a weekday off. His new job was good. As strange as he might find Mr. Clay sometimes, he was nice, he paid really well and he always let Caleb take home pastries that they did not sell that day. He still was really skinny, but didn’t look starving anymore, at least Nott told him so just yesterday. It also was because of Nott that he now stood on a farmers market in town, buying fresh veggies and some fruits, because they did really well in their jobs and he wanted to actually cook something for her, as a thank you. Had she not taken him in that day… who knows if he would even still be alive. 

A bag full of veggies under his arm he stopped at a little stand selling flowers. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining over the market, it was warm, spring now showed all it could, smelling fresh and sweet, birds and the buzzing of bees in the air. Maybe he should bring Nott some flowers. She deserved something beautiful, and he could put them on the table for when she would come home, and he would have dinner ready… 

At this moment, with his eyes closed and his face turned to the sun to just take in this moment, someone practically fell into him, knocking him down onto the ground.   
“Whoaaaa… what the!” He hurried to get up onto his feet again, which was not as easy as it should be, because this quite big guy was still laying halfway on his feet. 

“Oh my, I am so sorry, please excuse….” They stared at each other for a moment. Caleb could not remember having ever seen such a handsome guy. He did not quite remember the last time finding anyone handsome or beautiful, it seemed like a lifetime ago. And now, in the short of two weeks, he did not only find himself to think of Jester as quite beautiful, now his first thought at this stranger, who grinned at him with kinda sharp, almost tusk-like teeth, was that he was handsome. 

“I…” the bigger man hurried to stand up and stuck out his hand, helping Caleb back up onto his feet, still grinning, still looking handsome, yet a bit embarrassed.   
“I really am sorry, there was a dog, and I fell over it and…” The two still stared at each other, at least Caleb knew he was staring and now quickly looked down onto his feet and hurried to pick up the carrots that had fallen out of his bag.   
“I am Fjord.” Caleb looked back up into his green eyes, the hint of a smile on his lips.   
“It’s okay, neither me nor the carrots are hurt”, he replied. “I am Caleb…” he then added. 

A strange, a bit awkward silence fell over them, while Caleb sorted his stuff and Fjord brushed dust of his clothes. Only now Caleb realized that he was wearing a motorcycle uniform… that clung to his body like it was drawn on, it seemed.   
“Well… I should be on my way then… oh, but the flowers…” Caleb forced himself to not look at this charming stranger and fixed his eyes onto the tulips he had wanted to bring Nott.   
“Having a Date?” The guy… Fjord, was still there, standing next to him.   
“No…” Absentmindedly Caleb paid for the flowers and carefully put them into the bag. “Just for a friend… as a thank you. I wanted to cook dinner, but… well, how hard can it be to cook, right?” He made the mistake of looking up into Fjords eyes again and finding himself smiling while shrugging his shoulders.   
“You don’t know how to cook?” Caleb shook his head.  
“I have cooking books, I will just do exactly as written there….”   
“Oh, oh no… that always goes wrong and tastes strange.” Fjord shook his head.   
“You, my friend, are in need of a cooking lesson it seems...”   
The colour must have drained out of Calebs face, thinking of how this complete stranger just had invited himself over, because his grin faded and he looked almost shy now.   
“I mean… man, I overdid it again, didn't I? I’m sorry…” He scratched the back of his head nervously. “I should just go now…”

Caleb had, like so often in the last few weeks, no idea what had come into him, as he heard himself say.   
“Well, you know, I actually could use a lesson in how to cook…” Fjord turned back around, the grin back on his face.  
“So, you saying…?” Caleb laughed, a real laugh he had not heard from himself in a very long time now. He looked the other man straight into the eyes, returning the grin.   
“Do you want to teach me how to cook, Fjord?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caleb had a very good day - don't worry, he is still far away from being a happy bunny.  
> I just really needed a bit of fluff today.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, have a nice day <3


	5. Trapped

The strange, almost high feeling of meeting Fjord and being brave enough to invite him to cook lasted about as long as they needed to get to Calebs and Notts apartment. Now he stood there, his hands shaking and his thoughts spinning. How could he have become so careless? He had never even asked Nott if it would be okay to have someone over. Not even Jester knew where he lived. Was he really blinded so much by this stupidly pretty face and that smooth accent, that he…  
„Hey, are you okay?“ Fjords voice was soft. Caleb must have stood there for minutes, hands shaking, frozen while trying to unlock the door.  
„I… I am fine, alles ist gut… all is well,“ he murmured, his accent thicker than before, still so caught up in his panicked thoughts. Fjord lifted an eyebrow in disbelieve, but said nothing, then followed Caleb inside the finally open door.  
„It‘s… not much.“ 

Caleb led them into the tiny kitchen. The fridge was not very well stocked, but it looked better than it had two weeks ago. He placed the flowers for Nott into a glass filled with water. He should see if he could find a cheap vase somewhere.  
„It is warm and it does not rain inside, right?“ Fjord just shrugged. He had lived in an orphanage all his childhood and some of his teenage years. He never expected anything fancy.  
Caleb of course did not know that. 

„Ja, right.“ He turned around to face Fjord. He was a bit too big for this apartment it seemed, he had to duck through the door as he entered. Still in his motorcycle suit he was a sharp and beautiful contrast to the apartment, that showed mostly muted brown tones. While Caleb was unpacking his groceries, Fjord had started to examine the books laying on the table.  
„You’re a book lover, huh?“ At this very moment Frumpkin hopped out from the chair he had been sleeping in, right in front of Fjords face, who let out a scream.  
„Whoah, shit… and… a cat person, I assume?“ He grinned, his hand pressed to his heart, looking simply adorable. Even if this maybe was not the right word to describe the man in front of Caleb.  
„This is Frumpkin, he is very nice most of the time. You can pet him if you want.“  
He watched Fjord slowly reach out to touch Frumpkins soft fur, still looking a bit scared. What a picture.

„So, what are we cooking then?“ Fjord stepped behind Caleb as he placed the last pack of noodles into the high cupboard. He could smell the leather of his jacked, felt the heat from the body behind him. For just a moment, he let himself sink into selfish thoughts, of Fjord laying his hands onto his hips… then panic took over. He stood there, frozen, trapped. He was trapped between Fjord and the counter. Nowhere to run. Trapped.  
Caleb wouldn‘t remember if it was just a few seconds or minutes that passed until he he ran. He ducked out under Fjord and fled out of the kitchen, into his bedroom. Hiding… he needed somewhere to hide…

Fjord stood in the kitchen, just as frozen as Caleb had been. He blinked at the wall in disbelieve.  
He knew what it looked like when somebody had shit to deal with, himself being no exception. In his mind he cursed himself for being to straight forward, for coming too close to Caleb too soon. What was he thinking? That his invitation to cook was an invitation to more? Well, he had hoped that, but he should not have assumed…

„May I come in or should I leave?“ Fjord asked, standing in the doorway to the bedroom, paying attention to not block a possible escape route for Caleb. He should not feel trapped by him, not again.  
„You… maybe it‘s best you leave, Fjord. Es tut mir leid… I am so sorry.“

He could hear Fjord going away, stopping in the entrance. Panic rushed into him again, would je return? But then Fjord murmured: „He needs you now, Frumpkin, take care of your human, okay?“  
The door fell shut, and Frumkin strolled into the bedroom, curling up in Calebs lap. Fjord was gone.

—- 

„So you would like all of us to meet? Tomorrow?“ Jesters head was laying on Beaus lap, her hands slowly stroking through the others hair. Everything was well again, Beau had calmed down a bit. She did not like to admit it to herself, but she simply was completely jealous of that Caleb guy. But now, with Jester laying on her, the movie playing in the background… Beau was at peace for a moment. Caleb was not the one to feed Jester pieces of popcorn whenever she opened her mouth suggestively, Beau was.

„Yes, I think it would be reeeeally cool, you know, he is a nice guy and he needs friends and you should know who I am talking about all the time.“ With that sweet look on her face, the puppy eyes… how could Beau say no? She never could say no to Jester.  
„Alright, I‘ll drop by the store tomorrow…“ she promised, although still a bit grumpy.  
Jester shifted in her lap, sat up and pressed a kiss to Beaus cheek… right next to her mouth.  
„Thank you, Beau. That really means much to me, you know?“

She should have kissed her that moment. Later, when Beau was in her bed, trying to sleep, she told herself she should have just kissed Jester and finally take the risk. But she did not, of course she did not. The risk of losing Jester… no. She wouldn‘t lose her best friend to this.


End file.
